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Saturday, June 12, 2010

New hair and new issues?

Rad is out of control, says experts at the NY Post.

My radically new (compared to what it once was, not what I've had in the past) haircut occured the same day that Jezebel posted a short article from the NY Daily News that celebrities (and women in general, by extension) get new hair color because they are desperate to exert control over their lives. This is meant to explain why Rhianna, whom I remember has always had great hair, recently dyed her hair red. The article claims that this is an attempt to control one aspect of her life in the context of her recent trauma. While the article is concerned with hair color change, I think that the message is pretty frustrating in general. There are few annoying quotes by a psychologist and a social worker, saying that women change their hair, which is easy to do, because of break ups, losing a job, milestone birthdays, and general lack of control in their lives.

I agree that women do change their hair when things like this happen, but I hate the idea that the that changing hair or hair color is somehow an irrational act. The Jezebel editors ask: why can't Rhianna just change her hair color because she's having fun? I also question this logic. Why can't a girl just like to change her hair? Or why can't hair cuts at milestones or significant events be a celebration of one's independence, achievements, and choices? I cut my hair short every so often because my hair grows really quickly, and I hate hair on my neck in the summer, and because it highlights different parts of my face. I don't think my style choices can be generalized or explained by some psychologist or social workers saying, "Oh, Rad turned 30. No wonder she chopped off her hair."

This is what gaping mouthed desperation looks like, August 2009.

What's your take on this idea? The Jezebel commenters have interesting thoughts on this (including one women's expression of envy towards women who are brave enough to do bold things with their hair).

(Also, the shoe finding was successful, although not finding the versatile shoe part. More on this later).

16 comments:

I really disagree with that article. I don't color my hair in response to anything traumatic other than all the gray hair that's hiding underneath the dye. Sometimes I have my stylist throw a little red into the mix, or do highlights or something, but it's because I want something fun and different (that, typically, only I notice anyway). And I get new haircuts because I get bored with or tired of my hair as it is.

I LOVE your haircut! As for the idea that women change their hair as a response to something traumatic or to exert control... um, That can't always be the reason for someone changing their hair style. Maybe in some cases. When I was 15 I got into a huge fight with my mom- for some reason she never let me cut my hair as a kid (aside from trims) and as a result at 15 I had very long hair. Though I really wanted "cool" hair like the girls in the band Elastica- so I marched up to my room and hacked off my near waist length hair with paper scissors. So I guess looking back I was trying to exert control by cutting my hair (haha) . Also my mom burst out laughing when she saw me come down to dinner (fight over) And I got my cool hair cut (fixed by a professional of course) But as an 'adult' um I don't do irrational things like that I cut/dye/highlight my hair for fun. Right now I am growing it out since I've had sort hair pretty much since high school- we'll see how long I can go before it starts to bug me - long hair on hot days = not fun!

But this post got me thinking about the symbolism of cutting ones hair. I mean when women would cut their hair into a bob that was a sign of independence. When men and women let their hair grow wild and long in the 60s that was anti the neat and trim establishment.

And in literature there are several instances of cutting ones hair as being symbolic of shedding the past.

I have bleached blonde hair and the first time I dyed it (10 years ago?) was because my roommate was a hairdresser and he was practicing on me--I had such great hair the summer we lived together. I didn't maintain it because I was in undergrad and I couldn't afford to, but I loved it.

The next time it was bleached, the hairdresser made a mistake. She didn't understand what I was asking for and we were both surprised by the outcome. But, as noted above, I really love my hair bleached so I didn't really mind.

Now that I am gainfully employed, I bleach it because I can afford to and it really does suit me. I have mousy brownish hair, though I was a tow-headed child and so it's not surprising that it suits me. I cut my hair short because this also suits me and I like it.

None of this has to do with my desire to exert control--in fact, the first two times my hair was bleached it was entirely outside of my control. Take that, NY Post.

And I LOVE your kicky new haircut, Rad. This haircut is going to ratchet up the BA of your sultry new dress.

Am also LOVING your new haircut, Rad. And the NY Post and all its oh-so-legitimate commentators can suck it. People - women included - change their hair for lots of reasons, and I agree that it's ridiculous to generalize about half the world's (or country's) population reasons for doing so based on long-standing chauvinist beliefs regarding women's inherent irrationality, or lack of control in other elements of our lives.

In short and to sum up, I repeat: suck it, NY Post peeps. You don't know.

Ooh, I love the haircut too. I've often wanted this kind of wispy-longer-layered short hair, but don't know how to communicate my desires to my stylist. What do you say/call this haircut, Rad? Or can I just take this picture of you in to my stylist and say, 'one like this, please' (like one would of celebrity hairstyles)? :)

Thanks for the compliments. @AS: you'll see it soon in person. And I agree that fun motivates my attention to my appearance more than anything else.@LFDO: That story with your mom is really precious, even if you were stressed at the time. I agree that hair cutting can be about independence and freedom, not hysteria/neuroses.@D-Med: My short hair was originally done accidentally too! I've let my friends cut my hair too many times (3 times, I think). Once was a friend's little sister, who was attending beauty school. Once was to prepare for the naked army (more on that later). @AW: Yeah, you tell the Post!@Minerrva: I call it dramatic/wispy in the front, practical in the back. Sort of like a reverse mullet, but with arty elements. My hairdresser got it out of a Japanese hair magazine. You are more than welcome to take this picture, but if you email me, I can send you more.

I've always been willing to experiment with my hair style and hair color, and my changes rarely correlate to other shit that's happening in my life. When I got my hair cut again last week and posted some pictures on FB, a friend remarked that it was a milestone hair cut, and I had to inform her that as I've had about 10 different short pixie cuts in the past 12 years the evidence indicated otherwise.

I agree...getting a haircut doesn't necessarily represent anything more significant than...getting a haircut! I keep mine relatively short mainly due to ease of shampooing everyday (I workout quite a bit) and because I think it suits me better. Great post.

OK, a few years ago I did cut my hair off right after kicking to the curb a guy who had turned out to be a real jerk. He was one of those "I'd never date you if your hair were short" guys. There was a chance I'd run into him again in the normal course of events, and it was time for a haircut anyway so I was all like "take that sucka". But really anything I do to my hair is all me. Psychologizing it seems kind of silly.

I'm in the change hair for fun category - I usually get stuck watching a whole bunch of movies from the same genre and want to do that to my hair. I'm dying my hair tomorrow, and I've never dyed my hair before - and I'm sort of doing it to celebrate that my life has never been as lovely as it is now.

I LOVE your haircut! As for the idea that women change their hair as a response to something traumatic or to exert control... um, That can't always be the reason for someone changing their hair style. Maybe in some cases. When I was 15 I got into a huge fight with my mom- for some reason she never let me cut my hair as a kid (aside from trims) and as a result at 15 I had very long hair. Though I really wanted "cool" hair like the girls in the band Elastica- so I marched up to my room and hacked off my near waist length hair with paper scissors. So I guess looking back I was trying to exert control by cutting my hair (haha) . Also my mom burst out laughing when she saw me come down to dinner (fight over) And I got my cool hair cut (fixed by a professional of course) But as an 'adult' um I don't do irrational things like that I cut/dye/highlight my hair for fun. Right now I am growing it out since I've had sort hair pretty much since high school- we'll see how long I can go before it starts to bug me - long hair on hot days = not fun!

But this post got me thinking about the symbolism of cutting ones hair. I mean when women would cut their hair into a bob that was a sign of independence. When men and women let their hair grow wild and long in the 60s that was anti the neat and trim establishment.

And in literature there are several instances of cutting ones hair as being symbolic of shedding the past.